7 November 2006

Antonov at the airport?

| smokey2
Join the conversation
18

Is that a Russian Antonov AN-124 sitting at Canberra airport?

It has Russian colours on the tail.

If it is then it is the largest plane to land there and is used to transport the Erickson skycrane. – these are being assembled by going past the old Fairbairn air force base and just past the current airforce hangers.

The AN-124 can carry a payload of 230 tonnes. Approx 100 of these aircraft were built and are the largest commercially operated aircraft in the world. They are 30% larger than a C5 galaxy.

If they bring these freighters in at night it will be just like back home on the Mornington Peninsula and listening to the freighter (probably an old jumbo) going overhead at 3:00 am to Avalon.

[Ed – They have just completed the air-strip improvements and are very excited about being able to take heavier freight (shame about lacking a railhead or decent road links)]

UPDATED: xpantz has linked to a picture!

Join the conversation

18
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Pork Hunt said :

bundah said :

Pork Hunt said :

The An-225 is the largest plane in the world and according to Wikipedia is in commercial operation.

Thumper, I think you have your two aircraft arse about. 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

Ah yes but it’s no Spruce Goose 🙂

Ah, but the Spruce Goose only flew once which is no “Herculean” effort given that the aircraft’s proper name is the Hughes H-4 Hercules…

Indeed but what an extraordinary prototype,almost entirely made of birch and with a wingspan the length of a football field,minus a couple of metres,with 8 Pratt and Whitney’s.It would’ve made the C-130 look like a midget!

Pork Hunt said :

The An-225 is the largest plane in the world and according to Wikipedia is in commercial operation.

Thumper, I think you have your two aircraft arse about. 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

Could Thumper have been correct nearly 7 years ago when he/she posted that ?

bundah said :

Pork Hunt said :

The An-225 is the largest plane in the world and according to Wikipedia is in commercial operation.

Thumper, I think you have your two aircraft arse about. 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

Ah yes but it’s no Spruce Goose 🙂

Ah, but the Spruce Goose only flew once which is no “Herculean” effort given that the aircraft’s proper name is the Hughes H-4 Hercules…

Pork Hunt said :

The An-225 is the largest plane in the world and according to Wikipedia is in commercial operation.

Thumper, I think you have your two aircraft arse about. 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

Ah yes but it’s no Spruce Goose 🙂

screaming banshee5:56 pm 06 Apr 13

onetonne said :

Anyone know what the grey planes were at Fairbairn this week? One big and one small.

Submitting a new article is done at the top right of the page, digging up a SEVEN YEAR OLD thread is rather annoying.

Thumper, a C5 is bigger than a C141 Starlifter, much bigger. Smokey you’re close but the AN124’s big brother, the Mriya isn’t physically much bigger but can carry 100 tonnes more. Source: http://www.airvectors.net/avc5.html for C5 vs C141 and http://www.aviatorjoe.net/go/compare/AN-124/AN-225/ for AN124 vs AN225.

The An-225 is the largest plane in the world and according to Wikipedia is in commercial operation.

Thumper, I think you have your two aircraft arse about. 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

seepi said :

I heard the airport guy on WIN tonight trumpeting Canberra as competition to Sydney airport for freight, as we have no curfew, unlike well managed cities…great. Will these huge planes arrive all through the night soon?

Not while Canberra is an AQIS declared Rural Destination. Then the freight has to transported to Sydney or Melbourne (anywhere but Canberra) at great expense. If it were viable it would be happening now.

Anyone know what the grey planes were at Fairbairn this week? One big and one small.

The Beluga is bigger than this pisss-ant Sovietoski plane. Go to the airbusdotcom home page.

Remember those giant grey planes that brought the vehicles for Bush’s visit? Monsters, huge. their wings seemed to be drooping onto the tarmac.

And YES! Snow bought the airport because it has no curfew! He wants to bring jets in from Singapore at 2am. And freight planes are actually noisier. Even if the train doesn’t happen in the near future, he’ll dream something else up.

There’s a big demand to be able to land big planes in Eastern Australia during the early hours of the morning. It would mean more potential for more takeoffs from places like Asia and The Americas. Snow can see big money in it. He actually stated, back when he bought the airport, that the biggie for him was the lack of a curfew.

I heard the airport guy on WIN tonight trumpeting Canberra as competition to Sydney airport for freight, as we have no curfew, unlike well managed cities…great. Will these huge planes arrive all through the night soon?

Well off you go, tortfeaser – go get some. We can’t rely on JB & Kerces to do all the snappin’.

This thread needs pics.

That Eurobus (Airbus?) plane was here a few years ago wasn’t it? I think it’s called the Beluga but an Antonov 124 is waaay bigger (if bigger is longer although the Beluga might be ‘higher’)

The plane that transports fuselage sections of the Eurobus A380 is likely bigger.

pity about the railhead – should be some serious lobbying done right now with ACT/NSW/Fed govt’s to keep the national capital railway station in place (and given a bit of an overhaul).

Pity NSW Rail doesn’t see fit to enter into little chats with the ACT govt (who aren’t all that interested either)…

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.